Earlier this week we reported on 58-year-old civil rights activist and Politics Nation host, Al Sharpton’s new relationship. The new lady in Rev. Sharpton’s life is Aisha McShaw, a personal banker-turned-personal-stylist. News of the relationship leaked out after a New York Daily News reporter asked Aisha to define her relationship with Al, after seeing her appear on his arm at various black-tie events over the past few months.

“I’m his girlfriend,” Aisha simply told the reporter.

Many were happy that the social justice icon found love in the arms of a 35-year-old beauty, other’s slammed him for opening another door before he closed the previous one. You see, although Al and his ex-wife Kathy filed for separation back in 2004, they’re still legally married because they never actually went through with a divorce.

Al’s publicist, Rachel Noerdlinger, recently spoke to the Daily News on his behalf and revealed that he can’t understand why people are so upset.

“His exact words to me were, ‘Rachel, I’m not announcing an engagement or a marriage. Don’t I have a right to date when my marriage has been over for a decade?'” Rachel expressed.

She went on to say that she doesn’t discuss Al’s personal life and his relationships, but noted that people may be able to learn a bit more about his newfound love and other secrets when his forthcoming memoir, The Rejected Stone, is released in October.

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Ann

Legally separated means that both he and his wife are allowed to date by law. It does not count as adultery and can not be used as so in court. 9 years just sounds like one or both of them either does not want to let go , can not compromise, or someone is holding up the program. He should have gotten a divorce a long time ago but if he is happy and if wife or ex wife finds happiness why are we all just damning him like we are all perfect. More power to him.

NSimonefan

The more things that I see about “Reverend” Al, causes me to take him more seriously as an activist, and less seriously as a “Man of God”. Like in this case, he has the right to date who he wants, as long as he’s single. Like many people on this thread said, divorce his wife. That should have been done back in 2004 when they (him and his wife) broke up. Also, he’s raises lots of eyebrows being a strong proponent of gay marriage. A lot of his callers on his radio show quote Bible scriptures to him and say “You’re supposed to be a Christian” and “You’re supposed to be a Reverend”. He responds by getting defensive and being irate by telling them “I know the Bible very well and you can’t quote me a scripture that I don’t know”, along with defending his support of gay marriage by saying in an intense, sometimes yelling tone, “Its the law!”.

guest

When you know better you do better. No you are not free to date…get a divorce first.

Darlene Lyons

Yall kill me in other people’s business. I would love to see what goes on in these self righteous blogger’s life. For them to tell it they have never had an affair been with someone they shouldn’t have if only for one night! lol! Bunch of hypocrites on these sites! The sanctity of marriage is so important but they will be the same ones using abortion as birth control. Give me a break! Leave that man alone and mind your business or lack thereof!

Vivian

Who cares as long as they’re happy now. Trust me it’s not going to last because she has her eyes on a bigger “PRIZE”. No offense Rev. Sharpton, but you know at the end of the day I’m telling the truth. I see it happen every day with older men & younger women ( big discussions in Salons). If you were an ordinary guy she would not give you the time of day. Thank me in the future (this is what stylist do). You better call Tyrone. #justkeepingitreal

Vivian

Who cares as long as they’re happy now. Trust me it’s not going to last because she has her eyes on a bigger “PRIZE”. No offense Rev. Sharpton, but you know at the end of the day I’m telling the truth. I see it happen every day with older men & younger women ( big discussions in Salons). If you were an ordinary guy she would not give you the time of day. Thank me in the future (this is what stylist do). You better call Tyrone. #justkeepingitreal

Gimmeabreak78

Al is full of it. If his marriage is over, then he should legally end it once and for all. Trying to exploit the benefits of marriage (i.e. tax deductions, etc) without actually living up to the responsibilities of marriage is unacceptable. He shouldn’t be able to have his cake and eat it too. Whether that involves bed hopping from one woman to another and then going back to his wife when it’s convenient for him, or taking advantage of the tax benefits of marriage while he gets to live life as a single man, he needs to choose the what side of the fence he wants to be on, but he can’t sit on said fence.

Nolia

Yeah that’s alittle messy who wants to be like yeah girl he is married but saparated from his wife we been dating tho.

What Girl did you say he is married?

Aisha: Yeah but they not together!!

Girl he is getting his cake and eating it too not paying for the divorce and dating women 23 years younger than him.

Aisha:What!!!!

You heard Me!!

Chrysanthemum

Why has he not finalized his divorce? He’s free to date whomever he wants after that.

1Val

No, Rev. Al you do not have the “right” to date as a married man. Things should be done decent and in order. Therefore, divorce your wife prior to dating other women. Black women are members of the black community you proclaim to love and empower. It would be nice to see a race man such as yourself take the lead on sexuality double standards withinblack community. If you were a married black woman actively dating other men then you’d be a slore. But as a man you have the audacity to become defensive and assert your right to disrespect your wife, institution of marriage and soil your mistress’s reputation. All of your marching to nowhere prevents you from actually reading and following your Bible. SMDH!

NatashaDecemberBabyThomas

Of course you have a right to date Al, but make sure your divorce from your estranged wife is final before moving on to another woman.

akmartey

stay out of it…

Fair and Balanced

Shady Al will never change. The man is a race baiting opportunist so I don’t see what all the fuss is about as this is just another opportunity for him to exploit. It seems that she is just as much of an opportunist one snake attracts another. They are probably shopping for a reality show it can be called young and wrinkled.

Stephanie Keita

I’m not concern about ‘who he’s dating. I feel he’s grown, but he has a reputation to withstand.He should know the rules he is a pastor.He’s been separated since 2004. Either he planned on coming back are just still straddling the fence. Come on ‘Al how can you be example when you following ‘Hollywood style.Get Divorce then date of your choice.God is watching!

Robin Matthews

Omg who cares she is 35yrs she is a
Gaw! She knows what she wants ! It’s not like she is a tender 22yrs! Get y’all life!

CC

Isn’t he still married. Calling your self a Reverend and cheating. Separated is still married.

IllyPhilly

Screw whom he’s dating. When is he gonna call his “homies” up and organize a Trayvon unified civil suit to file against George Zimmerman? People don’t do that anymore, I guess.

NSimonefan

I’m sure he considered it, along with Trayvon’s parents. The only problem is that it can’t be done, due to Florida’s laws. For more details on that, google it. That’s why the U.S. Justice Department is looking to bring charges against Zimmerman.

Melody Carroll

GOOD FOR HIM

Vandellish

Not a big fan of Reverend Al and his ‘opportunist’ politics but I don’t see anything wrong with him dating whoever he wants to date even if their motives aren’t necessarily pure as the driven snow.

You’ll likely find that most people who object to this have personal hang-ups about relationships which are rooted in fear, envy and an outdated conventional ‘groupthink’ mentality.

Nikia D-Shiznit

Separated does NOT mean divorce. I don’t endorse marriage, and I’m not against divorce, but there are protocols to take when you take on a relationship, like make sure you are not legally or emotionally bound to someone else. His actions show a huge disregard for the institution of marriage. Fatherlessness and single parent homes are huge problems in the Black community. He puts himself out there as an spokesperson/advocate for the Black community, but he ignores that his actions in his marriage reflects hypocrisy.

Vandellish

I get what u sayin but when it comes down to the actual legal paperwork we really don’t know what the hold up could be or from which party. The reason we don’t is because it’s actually none of our business. I don’t see why anyone should put their life on hold or their business in the street explaining the circumstances.
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NSimonefan

Seriously? Legal paperwork does not prevent a marriage from being dissolved when it was over nine years ago!

Vandellish

So we’d think…but as I stated above we really don’t know what the hold up could be. My friend’s divorce lawyer in Chicago HEAVILY promotes the fact that there are all kinds of tax and/or property loopholes that a couple can benefit from by way of staying ‘legally’ married (at least for a while) to work the system.

As you know married people are entitled to financial benefits relating to their spouses, such as disability, pension and social security benefits. Married couples are also permitted to give an unlimited amount of gifts to each other without being taxed. A married couple has the right to be treated as an economic unit and file joint tax returns, and obtain joint health, home and auto-insurance policies.

People won’t like this but oh well…Before Sharpton is a ‘man of God’ I truly believe he is an opportunist and also a full-time rich guy (the most penny pinchinest fkrs in the world). I’m sure he has no intention of letting his empire come down even a couple of notches. Yes it looks messy, some would even say it’s immoral, but here’s a thought: It may even have been the wife’s idea! At least she may have agreed to it. Notice we haven’t heard a peep from her…yet. Until we do it’s still none of our business no matter how bad it looks from here.

Now go que up that old classic Johnny Taylor record!

FromUR2UB

I know one thing: if ever I needed someone to advocate my cause and bring attention to it, I’d like Al to be his most opportunistic.

Vandellish

His social advocacy is actually the great part of what he does. I was referring to a lot of the pure political stuff.
All that is beside my real point here though. He should be able to date whatever good woman he wants. Again, we don’t know all the situation of why the divorce hasn’t been finalized.

RalphZiggy

he claims to be a minister of a faith that takes institution of marriage very seriously; one which frowns on being married and running around having sex with young women